Athlete Spotlight: Stanley Boudreau Strome

Stanley is going into grade 10 at Collège Louis Riel (DSFM) this September in the International Baccalaureate program. On top of his club commitments, he played for Collège Jeanne-Sauvé in the MWPA School League and is part of Team Manitoba. He is also a Referee for water polo, having taken the NCCP Community Referee course.

Stanley has just returned from Barcelona where he was training with Water Polo Canada's 15U/16U AGNT Development Program. Next he is off to Dallas, Texas to play with the Houston Water Polo Club (18U Team: Viper Pigeons Blue) in the Junior Olympics from July 29 - August 2.

If you want to be featured in our Athlete Spotlight, please send a message to Secretary@manitobawaterpolo.com

When and how did you get into water polo? 

I started playing Water Polo when I was eleven, in September of the 2022. It was right after spending the summer of 2022 doing a personal challenge with my Mom of “seeing how many days in a row we could go swimming”. We went 27 days in a row at city of Winnipeg pools and nearby beaches. When activities reopened, Vortex Water Polo offered a free trial and my Mom suggested I try it because she enjoyed playing water polo in high school... and here we are nearly 4 years later.  

Editor Note: See article in La Liberté where Stanley was interviewed at age 12: https://www.la-liberte.ca/2023/08/16/le-water-polo-toujours-de-la-partie/

Tell us about your experience in Barcelona.

The AGNT Development Camp was an excellent experience and has been an incredible step in my water polo journey. We worked hard, learned a bunch of new skills and received top notch coaching. We also had fun, made new friends and created lasting memories. The level of competition was fantastic! I am very grateful for this opportunity.

What water polo skill was the hardest to learn?

Raising myself out of the water and shooting.

What motivates you?

Beating my best. 

If you could choose one superpower, what would it be?

Spider-Man powers 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Engineer 

What other sports or hobbies do you enjoy?

Volleyball, baseball, hockey, badminton, squash, fishing, sailing, piano, chess, reading, bike riding, Lego and palaeontology.

[Editor note: Stanley was on the Provincial Squash Team but gave it up to focus on water polo! He also plays for the Dakota Lazers (15U) in the Winnipeg Minor Baseball league, where their team won first place last year and second place this year in the Provincials.

Stanley is a Level 2 Official with Hockey MB, a Level 2 Umpire with Baseball MB and a volunteer coach for Learn to Play Baseball at Glenwood CC.]

What is one thing you could not go a day without?

Oxygen. Talking with my friends. 

What is one thing that automatically makes your day better?

Water Polo and my little brother & sister.

Anything else you would like to share?

I am fully bilingual (English/French) and learning Spanish. I have also volunteered as a Camp Counsellor at DSFM’s Camp Moose Lake. 

Stanley has recently been featured for his achievements in La Liberté: https://www.la-liberte.ca/2026/06/23/la-jeunesse-manitobaine-fait-des-vagues/

The future looks bright for this young athlete. Maybe we will see you on Team Canada's Olympic Team someday!